The Portland daily press., 1887-07-12
THE SALOON.
A Religious Weekly Summarizes
Some OF the Arguments In Its Fa-
IThe Independent.l

OnC oCe VI l0Cdo WIN dtlOtllCl oCb VI ioOuos III
which Right is on one side and Wrong on
the other. This must necessarily be so, for
the two sets of ideas are in positive antagon-
ISM and right is Enthusiastically involved. 1t
follows, therefore, that the proper weapons
of the conflict, and the only proper weapons.
are such as belong to discussion, full and
free discussion. Prohibition can win only
by SO propagating its ideas as to secure in
telligent and conscientious conviction. The
saloon can only establish its claim of right
to an uninterrupted pursuit of its business
by similar appeal to the intellect and con-
science
Of course in such conflict prejudice may
prevent fair consideration of an opponents
arguments There is undeniably strong
prejudice in this country against the saloon
business. 1t is not considered respectable.
Those who engage in it are frowned upon in
good society; they are, for the most part,
excluded from the churches; they are re-
garded as disqualified for positions of public
trust and responsibility, and they are
charged with conducting schools of vice,
crime and misery. This feeling is quite
general, and to call man a rumseller is
equivalent in the general estimation to the
application OF an opprobrious epithet. May
it not be, in the face of this general preiu-
dice against saloon keepers, even among
those who use intoxicants more or less, that
the arguments they have to offer in self-de-
Tense have not received due consideration?
AS campaigns on the question at Issue are in
progress in several OF the States it will be
opportune to inquire what is the nature of
the arguments offered in defense of the sa-
loon business.
/. In Iowa minister by the name of Had
dock, who was active in securing the en-
forcement of law against the saloons, and
became an embodied argument against sa-
loonism, was met and overcome by assassin
alton in the night. This is argument No. ],
or the argument of assassination.
2. In jackson, Miss, there was an editor
Of temperance paper, a young man named
Gambrell, who led the fight for local option
in Kinds county against Col. j. ID. Hamilton,
State Senator and champion of the liquor in
terests. The Gambrell argument proved to
be very strong one, and 1t was met just as
the Haddock argument arg! had been met, by as
3. In Haverhill. o., there was a man
named Northup, who, like Paddock, sought
to compel the saloons to observe the law.
The Northup argument was answered by as
sassination. This is argument No. again
applied
4. In Bridgton, N. j., Frank G. Smith, a
lawyer, who was active in prosecuting lille
gal saloon practices was waylaid in the night
and silenced, it was supposed, for all time.
This is argument No repeated.
s. Tennessee saloonists in Springfield at
tempted to answer the prohibition speech of
Rev. L. j. Duncan by dynamite. This is
argument No. 2, or the argument of murder
GUS assault.
al large breweries and of perhaps 300 saloons.
Respectable men undertook to present in a
respectful way arguments for prohibition, at
a meeting in public square, the public halls
having been refused for the purpose. The
saloonists gathered and answered the speak
ers on the spot with rotten eggs and other
missiles. A young brewer, Gus Kaufman,
assaulted one of the speakers with brutal
physical argument. The speakers were not
allowed to be heard. This is argument No.
8, or the argument of suppression of speech.
7. In Amesbury, Mass, the saloonists re-
sentng the attempt of the police to enforce
the law against them, organized mob, took
control of the streets, and smashed the win
dows of a clergyman. This is argument No.
4, or the argument of violence.
s. Wichita is town of Kansas in which
liquor used to flow freely. When news
reached the saloonists of that place that a
pr0hibitory law had been passed they pub
lished the following card:
TO ALL PROHIBITIONISTs.
The saloon keepers Of Wichita have $500 on de-
post in this office
FOR THE BENEFIT
OF THE WIDOW
Of the
Son of Gun who makes
THE FIRST COMPLAINT
against
THE LIQUOR DEALERS OF THIS TOWN.
This is argument No. 5. or the argument of
intimidation.
9. In Texas men more or less prominent
have met the arguments for prohibition thus /;
1--WE will fill the Brazos River with dead
Prohibitionists. Judge Gerald.
"We will damn them" The Hon. John
Hancock.
1.-THE Prohibitionists go to Kansas for
their pattern, to Plymouth Rock for their re-
ligion, to John Brown for their morals, and
will go to He'll for their meanness, unless
they quit Judge Gustave Cook
81 wish to God / could ALLEVIATE these Pro-
hibitionists Col. r. @. Mills.
"Why can't people attend to their own
business and let other peoples business
alone. Coy. John Ireland.
These specimens might be divided between
arguments Nos. 3, and 5.
But saloonists have an argument that
sounds much better to law-abiding ears than
any Of the foregoing. 1t is this: Prohibi-
tion is an invasion of personal liberty and
constitutional right But the Interpretation
they give personal liberty is this Liberty
for the. saloon, but not for anybody to speak
or work against it.
The Empress of Japan, accompanied by
retinue of twenty persons, will visit the
United States in October. She will land at
San Francisco, stop at Salt Lake, Omaha and